St. Joe Moves Nearly 10,000 Acres Into Conservation

Late last month the St. Joe Company announced it had recorded a conservation easement on nearly 10,000 acres around West Bay, fulfilling its commitment for mitigation for the environmental impacts of relocating the airport.

It's hard to really grasp the size of 10,000 acres but it's big. About 15 square miles. Remember though, this mitigation land is a drop in the bucket compared to the size of the entire West Bay Preservation Area when complete. It has been planned for more than 40,000 acres - more than 60 square miles - and it will permanently protect nearly the entire shoreline of West Bay.

No development. No high-rises. No condos. It's our best protection to keep the West Bay skyline from looking like too many places in South Florida. And the preservation area will provide vital (permanent) watershed protection.

Here's what the FAA said in their Environmental Impact Statement:

Relocation to West Bay presents "unique opportunities for enhancement and protection of West Bay and the creation of a substantial portion of the proposed West Bay Conservation Area...

...This would ensure permanent protection of significant continuous portions of the West Bay region including bay shoreline, wetlands, streams, uplands and the overall West Bay watershed...

...Removing these parcels from potential development pressures allows for better protection of West Bay and its resources...

(Note: The FAA's Environmental Impact Statement is available at the airport web site under "Future Developments")

John Robert Middlemas, who has devoted his life to protecting Bay County and Florida's environment, said this:

"I am thrilled that my children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy West Bay the same way my father and I have, because of the protection made possible in the sector plan created by the hard work of many of my colleagues in the local environmental community and St. Joe."

The conservation easements that St. Joe has put in place only become permanent if the airport is relocated. The FAA has recommended and approved relocation - but the NRDC and the hobby pilots who are members of Friends of PFN have challenged the FAA's decision. If their legal action derails the airport relocation, West Bay will lose the permanent protection it has gained through the creation of the West Bay Preservation Area.

Seems like local environmentalists like John Robert Middlemas - as opposed to "national environmental activists" like the NRDC - have Bay County's best interests at heart.